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by The Notified Team on Oct 7, 2024 2:21:25 PM
Did your press release reach its intended audience? Did it get people talking? That’s where key performance indicators (KPIs) come in!
By using KPIs, you can transform your public relations efforts into quantifiable results. They help you prove value, secure bigger budgets and drive your team towards greater success. Stop guessing, and start measuring, to make your PR work harder for you.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top KPIs for press release measurement, new trends in measurement for 2024 and tips on how to track these metrics effectively.
What Are Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)?
KPIs are measurable values that monitor and indicate performance toward predefined objectives. They set goals, enable progress tracking and create a data-driven platform for decision-making.
In PR, KPIs demonstrate outcomes across communications strategies, media coverage and audience engagement.
Why Do Press Release KPIs Matter?
Distributing a press release is just the start - measuring its success is where KPIs come in. KPIs act as a compass, guiding your PR efforts and demonstrating value.
With KPIs, you can refine your strategy and boost your PR results effectively.
Top KPIs for Press Release Measurement
When evaluating the success of your releases, it's important to focus on KPIs that provide meaningful insights.
There are countless metrics you could track, but these seven KPIs really stand out. They offer a clear snapshot of how your press releases are performing holistically and provide actionable insights.
1. Exposure
Exposure is all about visibility. It measures how often your press release is mentioned across different media channels, like news sites and social media. It’s not just about the number of mentions - the quality matters too.
Are these mentions coming from sources that your audience trusts? Use media monitoring tools to track and evaluate both the quantity and credibility of your mentions to see how far your message is reaching.
2. Potential Reach
Potential reach is all about estimating how many people could see your press release. It's calculated by looking at the audience size of the platforms where your release appears, such as the circulation of a newspaper or the follower count on social media.
For example: A mention in a major publication such as The New York Times has a much larger potential reach than one in a smaller blog. High potential reach helps build awareness. To measure it, sum up the audience sizes of all the outlets that covered your release.
3. Engagement
Engagement shows how your audience interacts with your press release—through clicks, shares, comments and more.
High engagement means your message is resonating and sparking interest. To track this, use newswire analytics and website metrics to see how people are reacting to your content. It's a sign that your message isn't just being seen - it's making an impact.
4. Sentiment
Sentiment analysis helps you understand the emotional tone behind the mentions - whether they’re positive, negative or neutral. This is critical because it tells you how your press release is being received by the public.
Are people excited about your news or is there a potential backlash? Sentiment can be tracked using specialized tools that analyze the language used in media mentions and social media posts, giving you insights into public perception.
5. Share of Voice (SOV)
SOV measures how often your brand is mentioned compared to competitors. It shows your brand’s prominence in the industry.
A higher SOV means you’re leading the conversation, while a lower SOV suggests you might need to boost your content strategy.
Use media monitoring tools to track and compare mention volumes and adjust your strategy accordingly.
6. Exposure by Media Type
Knowing where your press release is mentioned - whether it’s in print, online, broadcast or on social media - helps you refine your media strategy.
Some messages work better on social media, while others fit traditional print.
7. Website Traffic
Track the increase in website traffic, especially to pages connected to your press release, to measure how well it’s driving online engagement.
Top Trends in Press Release Measurement
The model of press release measurement is evolving. Let's explore the key trends shaping this space:
- Moving beyond vanity metrics - Focus on impactful metrics such as lead generation and website traffic, not just impressions and likes.
- Prioritizing your target audience - Don’t just track media coverage – look at quality vs. quantity. Ensure your press releases reach the right audience by analyzing their demographics and interests.
- Integrating data into a dashboard - Combine data from social media, traditional media and your website into a single dashboard for a clearer view of your press release performance.
By embracing these top KPIs and measurement methods, you can unlock the full potential of your press releases, engage your audience more effectively and drive your brand's narrative forward in the evolving media landscape.
Learn About GlobeNewswire by Notified's Enhanced Analytics for PR Measurement
We’re excited to introduce significant enhancements to our GlobeNewswire platform. These improvements give communications pros clearer, more detailed insights into the performance of press releases and ROI.
With these upgrades, public relations teams can better track results, adjust strategies and drive stronger outcomes - all at no additional cost!
With over 20 feature upgrades, GlobeNewswire now offers even more intuitive tools to help simplify release performance analysis and reporting - giving you key KPIs at your fingertips.
Key benefits include:
- Actionable insights - Access comprehensive data on press release performance, including outlet logos, regions, countries and languages. This helps assess targeting effectiveness and guides more informed decisions for future releases.
- Data at your fingertips - The streamlined interface makes it easy to interpret data, visualize key metrics and share results with clients or stakeholders. Whether it's for internal reviews or executive reports, you can now deliver insights quickly and efficiently.
- Comprehensive coverage - With new international placements included, the platform offers broader clipping coverage. You'll get a fuller picture of your press release's global reach, making it easier to fine-tune your campaigns.
Want to learn more? Contact us today - we’d be happy to chat and give you a demo!
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